Honey Vanilla Pudding

In my quest to remove refined sugar from our diet I came up with this pudding sweetened only with honey. Part of the reason I don’t want to eat so much sugar is that it is so addictive. It takes so much effort to stop having it and if I slip up and have a dessert or something it’s like I crave it even more than I did before. I don’t like feeling dependent on it. Especially since it has no health benefits.

Now I know honey is a type of sugar but you gotta start somewhere! Baby steps.

The flavor of this pudding is amazing. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started to make this but I’m so glad I tested it out. I feel like this would be great as a pie with some banana slices and whipped cream on top. But that’s an experiment for another day 🙂

You start out with honey, salt, and corn starch. Whisk them together until it is all one runny mixture. It’s going to seem like there is no way the corn starch will get fully incorporated into the honey but it does. Just takes a bit of elbow grease.

Add in your milk/egg mixture and stir like crazy over medium heat. I like to start with a whisk and then once the honey dissolves I switch over to a spoon.

Once it get thick and bubbly remove it from the heat and add in the vanilla and butter. Today I poured it through a strainer to remove any lumps but most days I do not take the time to do this. I don’t mind a few lumps.

Time for a break. Hey somebody’s gotta lick the spoon!

Cover it with plastic wrap (touching the surface of the pudding) and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

There you have it. Honey vanilla pudding just waiting to be in a pie. Or eaten out of a jar…

Honey Vanilla Pudding

1/2 c honey

1/3 c corn starch

1/4 t salt

4 egg yolks

2 2/3 c milk

3 t vanilla extract

1 T butter

In a medium saucepan combine the honey, salt, and corn starch whisk until corn starch is fully incorporated. In a separate bowl whisk together milk, and egg yolks. Pour milk mixture into the honey mixture and heat over medium heat. Stir with a whisk until honey has dissolved and then switch to a spoon. Stir constantly until thick and bubbly. Continue to cook for 1 minute then remove from heat. Add in vanilla and butter. Pour through strainer (optional) to remove any lumps and then put it in a container or a prebaked pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap (touching the surface of the pudding) and chill for at least 4 hours.